


True Love's Kiss

by FrankenSpine



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Character, Body Dysphoria, F/F, G!P Regina, Gay Male Character, Identity Issues, MTF Regina Mills, New York, Online Dating, Self-Esteem Issues, Transgender, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:06:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24329245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankenSpine/pseuds/FrankenSpine
Summary: Regina is a transgender woman who lives in an upscale New York apartment and works as a real estate agent. She decides to try her luck at online dating, but after a disaster of a date, she nearly gives up. Her friend Daniel encourages her to try it one more time, and that’s when she meets a woman named Emma Swan, whom she is certain is her soulmate.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 26
Kudos: 350





	1. If Only

Regina stretched her arms above her head and let out a yawn as she basked in the warm morning sun. She slowly climbed out of bed and went about her typical routine: taking a shower, getting dressed, feeding the cat, and having a nice breakfast of fried eggs and toast. She patted her cat’s head as she made her way to the door, briefcase in hand.

“Goodbye, Henry. I love you,” she beamed.

The orange cat simply meowed back at her before turning his attention back to his kibble. Regina locked the door as she left the penthouse and took the elevator down to the parking lot out back. As she climbed into her black Mercedes, donning a sensible scarlet pantsuit and checking her hair in the mirror, she smiled and connected her phone to the car’s stereo, blasting death metal.

She pulled up to a stoplight with her window rolled down and a smile on her face. She noticed a minivan pull up next to her and looked to see an older woman gaping at her in shock (no doubt due to her taste in music), which only made her smile shift into a sly smirk. She offered a wave and took off as soon as the light turned green, while the woman in the minivan was too stunned to realize the light had changed.

She went about her day as usual, showing off houses and helping clients put their homes on the market. She never imagined she’d be such a well-respected realtor, but it was truly a wonderful career. She couldn’t picture herself doing anything else, aside from playing in a rock band, perhaps, or maybe just managing one.

* * *

When she returned to her apartment later that evening, she found Henry waiting for her on the coffee table with his legs tucked under him. She grinned upon seeing him.

“Hi, Henry,” she cooed, “Did you miss me?”

The tabby meowed in confirmation and she reached down to stroke his head, reveling in the sound of his purring.

“I missed you, too,” she told him.

She set her purse on the counter and disappeared into her bedroom to change into a loose pair of sweatpants and an old _Ramones_ t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. She padded barefoot through the living room and took a seat on the couch before flipping aimlessly through Netflix. She eventually settled on _Evil Genius,_ having always enjoyed true crime documentaries. Just as she was getting into the first episode, her phone began to ring. It was her good friend, Daniel.

“Hello?” she asked as she brought it to her ear.

_“Hey, Regina. It’s me, Danny.”_

Regina chuckled. “Yes, I’m aware. What’s on your mind?”

_“Well, I was wondering if you’d like me to come over to your place with some pizza."_

“That sounds nice,” Regina told him.

 _“That’s good,”_ said Danny, _"because I’m already here.”_

Regina frowned a little. “What?”

Just then, the doorbell rang, and when Regina went to look through the peep-hole, she saw her friend’s smiling face. Shaking her head, she opened the door and found Daniel standing there with three boxes of pizza.

“Hey, best friend,” he said.

“Hello, Daniel.”

Regina stepped aside to let him in, and he set the pizzas down on the counter.

“When am I ever gonna get you to start calling me Danny? Aside from you, only my _mother_ calls me Daniel.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just hard for me to get out of the _professional_ headspace sometimes.”

“Don’t sweat it. Let’s have some pizza.” Danny looked over at the TV curiously. “What’re we watching?”

“Evil Genius.” When her friend started to grin, Regina arched an eyebrow at him. “What?”

“I guess you could say it’s ironic that I brought pizza, then.”

“I take it you’ve already seen it?”

“Oh yeah. It’s about as insane as _Tiger King.”_

* * *

Following their shocking true crime marathon, Regina and Danny decided they were no longer hungry for pizza. To make themselves feel a little better, they began scouring the internet for memes and cat videos, many of which Henry was fascinated by.

“You know, you could’ve been having this marathon with someone else,” said Danny.

Regina frowned a little. “What do you mean?”

“Like a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Don’t you think it’s time you put yourself out there?”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“I think you should find someone who makes you happy.”

“You make me happy. You and Henry.”

“Yeah, but I’m your best friend, and Henry’s just a cat.”

“Henry is not _just_ a cat.” Regina scratched behind Henry’s ears, making him purr. “He’s the best damn cat in the whole world.”

“Alright, I’ll give you that,” said Danny, “but don’t you think you should try dating again?”

Regina sighed heavily. “I haven’t been with anyone since I was a man.”

“Exactly. Put yourself out there, girl.”

“What if I end up with some asshole?”

“Everyone’s kind of an asshole, Regina. Some people are just less asshole-ish than others.”

Regina chuckled. “You certainly have a way with words.” She was silent for a moment. “Where do I even begin? I don’t know much about online dating.”

“I’ll help you out. I’ve been using this new site called _True Love’s Kiss.”_

“Seriously? That’s corny.”

“Yeah, but I’ve met a few nice guys on there.”

“Do you mean nice guys, or ‘nice’ guys?”

“I mean guys who are _actually_ nice— and good in bed, but I’ll spare you the details.”

“For which I’m most grateful,” Regina deadpanned.

Forty-five minutes passed, and Danny had helped Regina set up a profile on True Love’s Kiss.

“Do you think this will work? Will people really want to hook up with a trans woman?”

Danny smiled. “Like I said, some folks are nicer than others. Somebody will come along that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and they might just be the one for you.” He stood up and stretched his arms. “Sorry to bounce, but I guess I better head home.”

“No,” said Regina, “It’s two in the morning, and it’s pouring out there. You can take the spare room.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Thanks, Regina. You’re the best.”

Regina was visibly skeptical, but shrugged. “If you say so.”

“I mean it,” Danny told her, “Don’t be so down on yourself. You’re the coolest woman I’ve ever met.”

* * *

Regina awoke the following morning and slowly climbed out of bed in her pajamas. Henry was curled up at the foot of the bed, still snoozing, so Regina crept past him and into the kitchen. It was her day off, thankfully, so she had nowhere to go. She went to make some coffee and checked her computer while it brewed. Her eyes lit up when she saw that she had a new message on True Love’s Kiss from a woman named Lily Page, with whom she had matched.

_Hi, I’m Lily. You seem like a really interesting person. Why don’t we go out for drinks sometime? I’d like to get to know you._

Regina was a little taken aback by the directness, but felt undeniably intrigued. She looked at Lily’s picture and found the woman fairly attractive, so she decided to give it a chance.

_Hello, Lily. I think that’s a lovely idea. I’m sorry I didn’t see your message sooner. Why don’t we meet at the Rabbit Hole? Or would you rather go somewhere else?_

It was an hour later that Lily responded. Regina sipped her coffee as she read the new message.

_The Rabbit Hole is fine with me. Are you free tonight or anytime this weekend?_

Regina set her coffee aside. _Yes, I’m available tonight. Is six o’clock good for you?_

_Absolutely. See you then ;)_

* * *

It was six-thirty. Regina was waiting impatiently in a booth at the back of the bar. She’d already ordered a fuzzy navel and was nearly done with it, despite trying to drink it sparingly. She continuously checked her phone to see if she had any messages from Lily. The signal was good and she was connected to the internet so it shouldn’t have been a problem. Just when she was about to get up and leave, thinking she’d been stood up, Lily walked into the bar and offered an apologetic look upon seeing her.

“Sorry about that,” Lily said as she took a seat across from Regina, “I had to work a bit later than I expected. I got here as soon as I could.”

“It’s alright. I understand,” Regina said, though she didn’t, really. Couldn’t Lily have messaged her about that? She would have been more understanding, then. “It’s been some time since I’ve done this. Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

There was something strange about the way Lily looked at her, but she chose not to dwell on it too much.

“I'm a waitress,” Lily told her, “but I’d much rather hear about _you.”_

Regina’s heart skipped a beat. She knew where this was going, but still, she asked, “What _about_ me, exactly?”

Lily’s smile became a grin. “Do you, um, still have _it?”_

Regina sighed. “By ‘it,’ I assume you mean my penis? I suppose I should have seen this coming. I just didn’t think it would be so soon.”

“Well, do you?”

A slight frown made its way onto Regina’s face. “My, you’re very forward, aren’t you?” She sipped the last of her drink. “Yes,” she said quietly, “The answer is yes, but I won’t have it forever.”

“So, like, are you gay then?”

Regina was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. “I’m bisexual.”

“Wow, that’s cool. I’ve gone down on guys and girls before, but never a—”

Lily paused suddenly, and Regina’s eyes narrowed.

“A _what?”_ she challenged.

“A, um, transsexual.”

Regina sighed heavily. “If you think for a second that I’m the kind of woman to fuck on the first date, then you are _sorely_ mistaken, Miss Page.”

Lily scoffed. “Some _woman_ you are.”

“I’ll pretend for a moment that you aren’t being incredibly rude and ask you one last thing: why the hell would you ask me out for drinks if you were just going to behave this way? Do you have no shame?”

“I just wanted to see if you were really trans or not. I’ve never met one before.”

Regina grit her teeth at the woman’s choice of words. “I think I’ll be going now.”

She grabbed her purse and stood up, having already left ten dollars behind for the waitress, and went up to the bar to pay for her drink. She made her way to the door and walked quickly out onto the sidewalk to hail a cab. It didn’t take long for one to arrive and she climbed inside without a word.

“Where to, Miss?”

Regina sighed softly. “Hyperion Heights, please, down on Mifflin Street.”

The driver smiled and nodded. “You got it.”

It took fifteen minutes to get to her apartment complex. She paid and tipped the driver, who seemed quite grateful, and stepped into the elevator to get up to the eighth floor. Apartment 108. She unlocked the door, flipped the lights on, and sighed as she locked it once more.

“So much for that,” she muttered.

She huffed when she got a notification on her phone, thinking it might be another message from Lily, but it was instead a text from Danny.

_Hope everything’s going well!_

Regina set her purse on the counter and went into her room to change. She simply responded: _This was a mistake._

As she headed into her room, she tossed her coat onto the bed and unzipped her black dress. She kicked her heels off without care and walked towards the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror, taking in the faint scars below her breasts from where she’d had implants. Her eyes trailed lower until they fell upon her underwear. She sighed solemnly. The only thing keeping her from completely passing was tucked away between her legs. Otherwise, she looked and sounded as though she’d been born a woman. _If only._


	2. The Diner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: transphobia (at the beginning)

Danny was as furious as he was remorseful. “Christ, I’m sorry, Regina.”

“Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Of course it was! If I hadn’t talked you into making that damn profile—”

Regina placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Danny,” she said firmly, “The only ones at fault here are Lily and I.”

Danny looked at her incredulously. “How are _you_ to blame for any of this?”

A heavy sigh escaped the brunette. “I should have known it wouldn’t end well. Shame on me for thinking otherwise, and shame on her for being such a—”

She was cut off by the all-too familiar _ding_ of a notification on her phone. She stared at it with dread when she realized it was from True Love’s Kiss. She exchanged a look of uncertainty with Danny.

“How about you look at it?” she asked him, “I don’t think I can.”

“Sure thing.”

Regina typed in her passcode and handed the phone over to Danny, who opened up the app with reluctance. His eyes skimmed the message and he smiled faintly.

“It’s not Lily,” he said, “You matched with some guy named Killian Jones. He seems nice.”

“What did he say?”

“See for yourself.”

Regina hesitated, but took the phone back and eyed it warily.

_Hello, love. My name’s Killian. I see that you’re transgender, but that doesn’t bother me. You’re quite beautiful, I must say. I’d like to know more about you, if that’s alright. Perhaps we could have lunch sometime._

Regina bit her lip. “I don’t know about this,” she said, “Lily seemed nice, too, but then we actually met.”

“There’s only one way to find out,” said Danny.

Regina typed out a reply with trembling thumbs.

_Hello, Killian. I’m happy to know you aren’t bothered by my transition, and I’m flattered that you find me beautiful, but I’m not sure if I’m looking to date at the moment. I’ve only had this app for a few days and so far it seems that was a mistake._

She would not receive an answer for the next two hours. When she did, her jaw nearly hit the floor.

_Alright then, whore. I didn’t want you anyway. I just thought I would be nice and tell you how pretty you were. You’ll never be a real woman. Why the hell are you on this damn site if you don’t even want to hook up?_

It took everything Regina had in her not to hurl the phone across the room. Her blood was boiling with rage.

“Regina, what did he—”

She all but threw the phone at Danny. “Why don’t you see for yourself?” she seethed.

Danny’s face reddened with anger as he read the message. “Jesus, he’s a fucking ‘nice’ guy! What should I say to him?”

“Not a damn thing. Just block him.”

Danny nodded and did as Regina asked, though it seemed too anti-climactic.

“This can’t be it. Surely there’ll be _someone_ who—”

“Just forget it, Danny. I’m done.”

Danny was visibly saddened by this, but he just nodded. “Alright.”

“Delete the app, will you? I won’t be using it again.”

“Sure thing.”

Danny went to get rid of it, but he didn’t want this to be the end of his friend’s potential love life and so he instead hid the app away in a separate folder. He handed the phone back to Regina and she slipped it into her pocket dejectedly.

“I think I’m just going to lie down for a bit. You can stick around if you want.”

“You know I will. I’m here for you, Regina.”

A faint smile graced the brunette’s lips. “Thank you,” she murmured.

* * *

It was three days later, while Regina was heating up a frozen pizza in the oven, that she heard that godforsaken _ding._ She stared at her phone in confusion and anger when she saw that it was a notification from True Love’s Kiss, and she grit her teeth.

_“Goddamn it, Daniel.”_

She reluctantly reached for the phone and opened up the app, not knowing how she hadn’t seen it if it was still downloaded. This time, she saw that she had matched with a blonde named Emma Swan. Because of her previous two matches, she was wary, even though this ‘Emma’ was easily the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

_Hi. I think you’re really beautiful and I was wondering if you’d like to go out for a bite to eat sometime? I can’t afford anything super fancy but I know of this great burger place downtown called Granny’s. I’m new to this whole online dating thing. I was skeptical of it at first (I’ve seen one too many episodes of Catfish), but I thought since we matched, and we’re both in New York, that maybe you and I could meet up._

Regina blinked in surprise. She, too, knew of Granny’s. She used to go there as a child with her father, back when she was the boy with the Barbie dolls. It was something she and her father did without telling her overbearing and self-absorbed mother. She shook her head, blocking out those memories. She was unsure about going to that particular diner, but she would do it if it meant she could finally meet someone nice. She was pleased to see that Emma hadn’t mentioned anything about gender or sexuality. Hopefully it would be the same way in person.

_I’ll take you up on your offer, Miss Swan. Why don’t we meet there tomorrow at eleven-thirty?_

It didn’t take more than ten minutes for Emma to reply.

_Sounds great! I look forward to meeting you, Regina._

* * *

The following day, Regina walked into the diner and looked around, but found no sign of Emma. She huffed, hoping there wouldn’t be a repeat of her encounter with Lily. Less than a minute after she sat down, she heard a soft voice.

_“Regina?”_

She looked up to see a blonde coming around the corner in a sleek red jacket, smiling brightly at her. She couldn’t help but smile back.

“You must be Emma,” she said.

“That’s right.” Emma took a seat across from the brunette at the booth. “There’s an old jukebox in the back. I was just adding some songs to the queue,” she said, “Hope you like eighties music. There’s a little seventies in there, too, for good measure.”

Regina’s smile widened. “I love it,” she said.

“Awesome. So, have you always lived in New York?”

“Ever since I was five. Before that, I lived in Maine.”

“Never been to Maine. I hear it’s nice, though.”

“I wish I could say it was, but I barely remember it,” said Regina. She smiled politely when a waitress approached the booth.

“Hello, welcome to Granny’s. My name is Ruby. What can I get you ladies to drink?”

“I’ll have a water, thank you.”

“And I’d like a cream soda, please,” Emma beamed.

“Alright, I’ll have that out to you shortly,” Ruby said with a smile. She disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the pair alone for a bit.

“So,” said Emma, “what do you do?”

“I work in real estate.”

“Ooh, nice. I don’t know much about that sort of thing. It seems too complicated for me. I’ve been working for my buddy August as an apprentice in his tattoo shop.”

“Oh? Do you have any pictures of your work?”

“Sure do,” Emma said happily, pulling out her phone. She handed it to Regina almost eagerly. “Be honest with me. Is it any good?”

Regina smiled as she scrolled through the pictures. There were tree frogs, dragons, bees, tigers, skulls, and several floral designs. All of them were colorful and bright, even the skulls, in a strange yet charming sort of way.

“These are great, Emma.”

“You really mean that?”

Regina nodded. “Of course. I love how vibrant they are. You’re a wonderful artist.”

“Thank you,” Emma said, grinning, “One of these days, I’ll get my license and then I can finally have my own parlor.”

“What would you call it?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Still working on that. Do you have any tattoos?”

“Just a dragon on my back.”

“Like the song,” said Emma.

“Pardon?”

“You know, ‘Dragon Attack?’ By Queen?”

“I’m not familiar with that one,” said Regina.

“Well, you should give it a listen sometime.” Emma looked at her menu with a smile. “I think I’ll get my usual. What about you?”

Regina skimmed the menu. “Hm. I’ll probably have a chicken sandwich.”

“Good choice,” said Emma, “I’ve tried everything here at least once. It’s all amazing, I swear. Granny’s the best cook in the city.”

Ruby chuckled as she returned with the drinks. “I’ll be sure to tell her that,” she said, “Are you two ready to order?”

“Yes,” Regina said, looking expectantly at Emma, “Are you?”

“Yeah, you go ahead,” Emma offered.

Regina smiled and turned to the waitress. “I’ll have the grilled chicken sandwich with fries.”

“How would you like the fries? Waffle, curly, or plain?”

“Plain will be fine.”

Ruby nodded as she scribbled the order and looked to Emma with a friendly smile. “And what about you, Miss Emma? The usual?”

Emma grinned. “You know it.”

Once again, Ruby went back into the kitchen. The rest of the diner was empty, which Regina found a little odd.

“This place sure seems deserted, considering it’s lunch time.”

“Yeah, well, it’s an underrated gem,” said Emma, “It used to be really popular twenty years ago. I always used to come in here with my folks.”

“As did I— well, just with my father. My mother would never have set foot in here. She was the embodiment of the term _socialite._ It’s best that she never found out we came here to eat. I think she would’ve forbidden it. No. I _know_ she would have.”

“That stinks,” said Emma.

“It does,” said Regina, “but I’m glad I have those memories, even if they _are_ bittersweet.” She took a sip of her water. “Which brings me to the matter of the elephant in the room,” she said softly, “You haven’t once mentioned _it.”_

Emma frowned in mild confusion. “Mentioned what?”

Regina sighed. “Do I really need to say it?”

Emma was silent for a moment, but then a lightbulb went off in her head. “Oh, _that._ It doesn’t matter to me. We’re here to eat and have a good time, Regina. We can talk about that some other time— or maybe we won’t talk about it at all. I don’t think it even matters.”

Regina was visibly taken aback. “You— You really don’t care?”

Emma shook her head and smiled warmly. “Nope.”

The brunette let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Well, _that_ went far better than I ever could have imagined.” She couldn’t help but smile a bit. “My last date didn’t go so well. I ended up walking out on her after just one drink.”

“Damn. Well, I hope I haven’t given you a reason to flee.”

“You haven’t,” said Regina, _“yet.”_

Emma chuckled and took a sip of her cream soda, getting some foam on her lip. She licked it off and grinned.

“You like cream soda?” she asked.

“I’m not much of a soda drinker,” said Regina.

“I don’t drink them much myself, but cream soda? Well, there’s just no resisting it. It’s like a carnival, if carnivals tasted like fizzy, liquid ice cream.”

Regina laughed softly. “That’s quite a description.”

Emma smiled. “Yeah, well, I try.”

Soon, their food arrived. Regina got her grilled chicken sandwich and fries, and Emma received her usual: a double bacon cheeseburger with onion rings on it, and a side of mozzarella sticks with ranch. Regina took tentative bites of her sandwich while she watched Emma wolf down the monstrous burger within a matter of minutes, only to do the very same with those mozzarella sticks. Emma had finished eating before Regina even got to her fries.

“You were hungry, weren’t you?”

Emma laughed. “Yeah, well, I didn’t eat breakfast. I never do, actually,” she said, “and I rarely have dinner. Best to make up for it in the middle, I always say. Actually, no. I don’t think I’ve _ever_ said that.”

* * *

Once they had both finished their meals and split the bill (despite Emma’s insistence that she cover the entire thing herself), the two women walked out of the diner with pleasant smiles.

“So,” said Regina, “why don’t you come over to my place? I’d like to talk more— but just know that I never have sex on the first date.”

“Same here. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” said Emma.

“Which of these cars is yours?”

“Huh? Oh, none of them. I walked here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I have a car, but I rarely drive it. I prefer walking, as long as I’m not going more than a few blocks from my apartment.”

“Well, you can ride with me,” Regina offered.

Emma was surprised. “Why thank you,” she said, following after the brunette towards the black Mercedes. “This is _your_ Benz? I was eyeing it from inside the whole time, wondering what kind of person drove it. This is a beautiful car, Regina.”

Regina smiled as she and Emma climbed inside. “Thank you.” She pulled out onto the street after making sure it was clear and headed to her apartment. “I live in the Heights,” she said.

“You mean Hyperion Heights?”

“That’s right.”

“Wow,” Emma breathed, “I’ve never even set foot there before. You must be crazy rich.”

“Not particularly. My mother, despite her many flaws, pulled a few strings and got me the penthouse indefinitely. It’s always made me feel guilty, so I still work hard to try and make up for it in rent. I always pay a little extra, for good measure.”

“Well, you’re certainly rich in _spirit,”_ Emma told her with a smile.

* * *

Having finally reached Regina’s apartment, the brunette welcomed Emma inside and went to fix them some drinks while Emma took a seat at the counter.

“I hope you like rum and coke,” she said, “because that’s all I’ve got.”

As Emma was studying the lavish apartment, she spotted two particularly-wonderful things: the snoozing orange tabby curled up on the couch, and the Wii mounted next to the TV.

“Your cat is so precious! What’s his name— or _her—_ whichever?”

Regina chuckled. “His name is Henry,” she said, mildly pleased at Emma’s attempt not to make assumptions.

“I love cats. My parents never would let me have one, though. Mom’s allergic, and Dad’s just not a fan,” said Emma. She gestured to the console. “I also couldn’t help but notice you have a Wii.”

Regina smiled. “I certainly do. Are you up for a bit of Mario Kart?”

A sly grin crept onto Emma’s lips. _“Always.”_


	3. Sticking Together

After seven hours, one too many drinks, and countless rounds of Mario Kart, Regina and Emma were spent. It was only when Emma noticed just how dark it had gotten that she decided to get going, but Regina was quick to put a stop to this.

“You can’t,” said the brunette, “It’s late, and you’re— _ugh—_ you’re drunk.”

Emma snickered. “So’re you.”

Regina waved a dismissive hand. “Take the spare room. I’ll pay for your cab in the morning.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s the least I can do. I didn’t mean for either of us to drink that much.”

“Yeah, well, it was fun. I had fun.” Emma smiled widely. “You’re really cool, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told,” Regina muttered.

Emma seemed hurt. “You don’t believe it?”

“Not really.”

“Why not?”

Regina sighed and leaned her head onto Emma’s shoulder. “It’s hard to think positively of yourself when you’ve spent most of your life doing the opposite.”

“Damn. I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what that’s like.”

“Let’s just say it’s not fun.”

“You totally pass,” Emma said, “I can’t picture you having ever been a man.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Absolutely.”

A faint smile tugged at Regina’s lips as she lifted her head to stare into Emma’s cloudy, green eyes.

“You should really stay the night,” she said softly, “I don’t want you going out alone, drunk, in this city. It’s dangerous.” She placed her hand upon Emma’s and her smile widened. “Us women have to stick together.”

Emma happily returned her smile. “Damn right.”

The blonde tried to stand up, only to fall back onto the couch. She laughed as she was able to push herself up this time, and Regina helped her reach the spare room.

“You’ll want to leave the door cracked,” Regina told her, “or else Henry will start rattling it, demanding to be let in. He _hates_ closed doors.”

Emma chuckled. “Okay. Goodnight, Regina.”

Regina smiled. “Goodnight, Emma.”

* * *

Emma awoke the next morning to find Henry staring curiously at her from his place on the nightstand. He meowed at her, and she smiled as she reached out to pet him. He rubbed his face against her hand affectionately and started to purr.

She crawled out from beneath the covers and made the bed as best as she could. She was a bit rusty, having not made her own bed in years. She never felt the need, but she was a guest in this lovely apartment and wanted to do something nice in return. Henry trotted after her, meowing as she made her way into the kitchen.

Regina was already there in a pair of sweatpants and an old Springsteen shirt, sipping a cup of steaming coffee. Her face was void of makeup, and it was then that Emma realized she didn’t need it. Her natural beauty was radiant. It almost looked like she was glowing.

Emma smiled. “You like the Boss, too, huh?”

Regina gave a small nod. “I certainly do.” She smiled when she saw Henry jump up onto one of the stools at the counter. He meowed at her in greeting. “Hello, Mister,” she cooed, “You didn’t keep Emma up all night, did you?”

Emma chuckled. “No, he was a good boy.”

“That’s good. Did you sleep well?”

“I did. I don’t even feel that hungover.” Emma groaned as a surge of pain rushed through her head. “Okay, I take that back.”

“Would you like some toast?”

“Yes, please, if it’s not too much to ask.”

“Not at all.” Regina plated some toast and handed it to Emma with a smile.

“Thanks, Regina.” Emma bit into her toast with a smile and sat down next to Henry, who was ogling her plate. She laughed softly. “I don’t think you want any of this, buddy.”

“He shouldn’t,” said Regina, “not when I’ve already filled his bowl.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Are you going to eat your own food, little man?”

The cat just meowed at her, and both women chuckled in unison.

“He’s one cool cat,” Emma teased, scratching behind his fuzzy ears.

“He certainly is,” Regina said proudly.

Emma finished her toast and rubbed her temples to try and ease the pain. “I think I need to go home and lie down for a while,” she said.

Regina pulled on her coat and donned her sandals. “Why don’t I walk with you downstairs?” She grabbed some money from her purse. “I’ll get you a cab.”

“You don’t have to do that, Regina.”

“No, but I think I should, considering I’m to blame for you being hungover.”

“It’s my fault for not paying attention to how much I drank,” Emma countered, smiling faintly, “but I appreciate the offer.”

The two of them made their way out of the apartment and to the elevator. Regina pulled out her phone and opened up her contacts.

“I’d like to get your number, if that’s alright.” Emma happily gave it to her. “Thank you. I really had fun, Emma. You’re very good at Mario Kart. No one’s ever beaten me before.”

Emma chuckled. “Well, I guess you’ve been dealing with amateurs.”

A smile graced Regina’s lips. “Maybe so.”

They walked out onto the sidewalk together and Regina hailed a cab. As one pulled up along the curb, she handed Emma the money.

“Here,” she said, “Text me when you get home— or call, whichever.”

Emma smiled and nodded. “Will do. Thanks, Regina.”

“You’re welcome,” Regina said softly.

Emma climbed into the cab and just moments later, it took off down the street. Regina went back up to her apartment and locked the door. She finished her coffee and took a seat on the couch next to Henry, gently stroking his back while she scoured Netflix for something to watch. She didn’t see anything that interested her, unfortunately, so she decided to go and take a shower. As she stood up, she saw that she’d gotten a text and smiled.

_Hey, it’s Emma. Thanks for the money. I look forward to seeing you again._

Regina grinned uncontrollably as she typed out a message of her own. _Me too._

* * *

A few days later, Regina found herself heading over to Emma’s apartment. When she arrived, she was greeted with a bright smile from the blonde and welcomed inside. There were canvases everywhere, many of them still blank, along with stacks upon stacks of drawings.

“Wow, you didn’t tell me you were a painter,” she said.

“Yeah, well, I haven’t done it in a while. The nerves in my hands are all screwed up. That’s kind of making it hard to complete my apprenticeship, but I manage.”

“Carpal tunnel syndrome?” Regina quizzed.

Emma shook her head. “No, it’s cubital. It really sucks. I try not to bend my elbows too much, but that’s tricky. Most days, I wear braces on my wrists, but they’re kind of uncomfortable.”

“Maybe you just need a different brand.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Emma scratched the back of her head. “Let’s not worry about little old me. What have you been up to?”

“Mostly giving tours of a lakeside mansion,” said Regina.

“Any buyers?”

“Several couples seemed interested, but none of them have made any offers yet. I doubt you want to hear my real estate stories. It’s not exactly the most exciting career path. I’m sure you’ve got much better stories.”

Emma chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve got a few. About a month or so ago, this drunk lady came in and said she wanted a unicorn smoking pot tattooed on her ass.”

She and Regina shared a laugh.

“I hope you didn’t go through with it.”

“No, she came back a few days later and apologized. I told her I’d still do it though, because that sounded awesome, but she passed.”

Emma pushed up the sleeves of her hoodie, revealing her numerous tattoos on her arms. There were skulls, a jagged dagger, a dragon, some flowers, and of course, a large swan on her left forearm.

“I like your tattoos,” said Regina.

Emma smiled. “Thanks! Didn’t you say you had a dragon?”

“I do. Would you like to see it?”

“Only if you’re comfortable showing it,” Emma told her, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Regina hesitated, but ultimately decided, _what the hell?_ She shrugged off her coat and hung it up on one of the hooks by the door along with her purse. With her back turned to Emma, she lifted up her black shirt to reveal the Chinese dragon on her spine. It was merely an outline, done entirely in red ink.

“That’s badass! Where’d you get it done?”

“Fineline.”

Emma’s smile widened. “Nice. That place rocks.”

Regina pulled her shirt back down and turned to face the blonde. “It certainly does.”

“Maybe someday you’ll let me put some more ink on your skin,” said Emma.

“We’ll see,” Regina told her with a soft smile.


	4. Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: transphobia

The following weekend, Emma and Regina took a cab back to Granny’s— this time for dinner— and sat down in the same booth as before. As they were studying the menu, they heard someone clear their throat and when Regina looked up, her heart just about stopped. There stood Lily, smirking at her. Emma noticed the panic in her eyes and frowned in concern.

“Regina?”

Following the brunette’s gaze, Emma saw the smirk on the waitress’ face and her frown deepened.

“What’s this all about?” she asked, “Do you two know each other?”

Regina swallowed, struggling to find her voice. “She was my— um— my date, from before,” she rasped, standing up suddenly, “Excuse me.”

She rushed off towards the restroom and gripped the edge of the counter tightly as she took slow, deep breaths and stared at herself in the mirror.

“Get it together, Regina,” she muttered, “You’ve dealt with shit like this before. You can do this. Don’t let that bitch ruin your night.”

Just as she went to leave the restroom, she heard Emma starting to shout and immediately grew worried. She hurried out to find Emma standing up and confronting Lily.

“You wanna say that again, bitch?” Emma challenged, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Someone who’s gonna call the cops if you don’t leave,” Lily countered, “I can’t have violent customers getting all up in my face.”

Emma’s eyes narrowed and her fists tightened. “Don’t you worry about that,” she hissed, “I’m never coming back here again, so long as you’re employed. Go fuck yourself, _Lily.”_ Her face softened a bit when she saw Regina. “Come on, Regina. Let’s go someplace else.”

Regina could only nod as Emma handed over her purse, and the two of them walked quickly outside to hail a cab. Emma looked at her in concern, placing a comforting hand upon her shoulder.

“You okay?”

Regina sighed. “Not particularly.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Not here.”

Emma nodded. “Do you want to go somewhere else to eat? Or would you rather just go home?”

“I think I’d be better off at home,” Regina said. She looked at Emma with hopeful eyes. “Will you join me? I could use the company.”

Emma offered a soft smile. “Absolutely.”

* * *

Having returned to the penthouse, Regina and Emma were now sitting on the couch together with the TV on, but neither of them were paying much attention to whatever was on screen.

“I’m sorry, Regina.”

“Don’t apologize. This was no one’s fault. It was just a sorry coincidence.”

“I’m going back in the morning and telling Granny. She would never allow something like that in her restaurant.”

Regina was silent for a moment. “Will you tell me what she said? Lily, I mean?”

“I don’t think you want to hear it.”

“Oh,” Regina said softly, “Okay.”

Emma’s jaw clenched as she thought back to what the waitress had said.

_Once Regina vanished into the restroom, Lily scoffed._

_“What kind of man runs away from his problems? Pathetic.”_

_Emma glowered at her. “What the hell is wrong with you? Regina isn’t a man.”_

_“Then I guess you don’t know about his dick. He told me he still had one. That makes him a man.”_

_Emma’s blood was boiling. “She’s a woman, just like you and I. Why don’t you fuck off before—”_

_“Before what? Before your_ boyfriend _tries to kick my ass?”_

_Emma stood up suddenly, her face just inches from Lily’s. “The fuck did you just say? You wanna say that again, bitch? Who the hell do you think you are?”_

She blinked quickly as Regina’s voice drew her back into the present.

“Emma?” the brunette murmured.

“Huh? What?”

“I asked if you wanted to have something delivered.”

“I’m cool with that if you are.”

“How does Chinese sound?”

Emma smiled softly. “It sounds awesome.”

Within half an hour, the two of them were slurping up shrimp lo mein and crunching on hot crab rangoons as they watched _Back to the Future._

“I love this movie so much,” Emma said with a mouthful of noodles.

Regina chuckled. “If I understood that correctly, then so do I.”

She slowly leaned over and planted a light kiss on Emma’s cheek, smiling at the stunned blonde. She rested her head on Emma’s shoulder contently.

“Thank you for standing up for me,” she murmured.

Heat rose to Emma’s cheeks. “It was the right thing to do,” she said, “No one deserves to be disrespected like that.” She wrapped an arm around Regina and held the brunette close. “Especially not someone as amazing as you.”

“You’re pretty amazing, yourself,” Regina told her, “Why don’t you stay the night? I don’t really want to be alone right now.”

Emma’s lips curled into a smile. “I’m here whenever you need me.”

* * *

Regina tossed and turned in her sleep, dreaming of a time when she was a stubble-faced teenage boy, utterly speechless as his father caught him in his bedroom wearing one of his girlfriend’s dresses when he thought nobody was home.

_“D-Dad, I can—”_

_“Let me stop you right there, son. I won’t pretend to know what this is about, but whatever it is, just don’t let your mother find out.”_

_“You’re not mad?”_

_“No. Just confused, but I’ll leave you to it. If I were you, I’d lock the door.”_

_“You’re not gonna tell her, are you?”_

_“It’s not my place to tell, but can I ask what exactly you’re doing?”_

_“Dad, I, um— I feel like I was born wrong.”_

_“Wrong, how?”_

_“Like, in the wrong body.”_

_“I see. Is that why you always used to play with dolls?”_

_“I guess so, yeah.”_

_“Well, is there anything I can do?”_

_“Just promise me you won’t tell anyone— especially not Mom.”_

_“I promise. I love you, Ricardo, no matter what.”_

Regina awoke with a gasp. She climbed out of bed and padded into the kitchen to get a cup of water, as her mouth was dry. She turned on the light above the sink and filled up a glass. As she sipped the cool water, she heard a soft meow and felt Henry rubbing up against her leg. She reached down with a faint smile and stroked his soft fur. She paused when she heard the toilet flush at the end of the hall and looked to find Emma walking out with a yawn. The blonde froze upon seeing her.

“Oh, hey. Couldn’t sleep?” asked Emma.

“Not well,” said Regina, “I was dreaming of the past.” She took another sip and sighed. “Ricardo,” she said.

_“Huh?”_

“My name,” the brunette said softly, “it was Ricardo.”


	5. Sparks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst!

When Regina awoke the next morning, she found the spare room door open and the bed made. It was empty, as was the bathroom. She walked into the living room, but Emma wasn’t there, either. Her eyes began to widen in fear. Had she done something to drive the blonde away? Was it last night’s drama? Was it too much for Emma to bear? Was _she_ too much of a burden? Or an embarrassment, even? She fought back tears and sat down on the couch, holding her head in her hands as she let out a heavy sigh. Just then, the apartment door opened, and her head shot up.

In walked Emma with a paper bag between her teeth and two steaming cups of coffee in her hands. She quietly closed the door with her foot and set everything down on the counter. She smiled when she saw Regina, but then faltered as she realized the brunette seemed distressed.

“Is something wrong? Did that bitch send you any more messages?”

Regina struggled to find her voice. “N-No, I deleted the app,” she said softly, “I thought you—” she took a deep breath, “—I thought you might have bailed on me.”

A slight frown made its way onto Emma’s face as she approached the couch. “Regina, no. I was just getting coffee and donuts around the corner. I wanted to surprise you.” She placed a hand on Regina’s back in an attempt to comfort the woman. “I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

Regina’s mind was swimming with all sorts of conflicting emotions. She leaned her head onto Emma’s shoulder and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Thank you, Emma,” she rasped, “for not running.”

“I told you, Regina, I’m here for you.”

“Even after last night?”

“Of course. I guess now’s a good time to tell you that I spoke to Granny over the phone. Lily works nights— well, she _worked_ nights, I should say. Turns out Granny already saw the security feed.”

Regina couldn’t help but smile a little. “That’s good to know.” Emma’s presence brought her immense comfort. “Why don’t we have that coffee now, hm?”

Emma nodded in agreement. “Sounds good to me.”

* * *

While Emma was using a laser pointer to entertain Henry, Regina got a text from Daniel.

_Hey girl. What’s up? You been smooching with your new woman?_

Regina shook her head in amusement. _We’re just talking. We haven’t done much kissing._

_I’ve got to meet her. I assume things are going well?_

Regina smiled. _They’re going wonderfully. Why don’t you come over now?_

_On my way._

“Emma?”

“Yeah?”

“My friend Daniel— err, _Danny—_ is stopping by soon. I hope you don’t mind.”

Emma smiled. “Not at all. I’m sure you’ve got awesome friends.”

Regina chuckled softly. “Yes, I suppose I do.”

* * *

Hearing a knock at the door, Regina got up to answer it. There stood Danny with an ecstatic grin.

“Hey, Regina.”

“Hello, Danny.” Regina stepped aside and welcomed him in.

As Danny walked into the apartment, he spotted Emma on the couch. They exchanged polite smiles.

“Hi, I’m Danny.”

“Emma. It’s good to meet you.”

“You too,” said Danny, “I take it you and Regina have really hit it off?”

“Sure seems that way to me,” Emma told him, “I hope Regina feels the same way.”

Regina smiled. “Of course,” she said, her eyes alight with hope, “Things are going better than I ever could have imagined.”

* * *

That evening, long after Danny had left— utterly obliterated by both Emma and Regina in Mario Kart— Regina was in the kitchen making spaghetti when Emma walked up behind her.

“Hey, that smells amazing,” Emma beamed.

Regina smiled at the blonde over her shoulder. “Thank you, dear.”

Heat rose to Emma’s cheeks at the endearing term. “Dear,” she said softly, “I like the sound of that.”

Regina chuckled. “Are you telling me no one’s ever called you ‘dear’ before?”

“Only my mother,” said Emma.

“Well, _dear,_ it’s about time we changed that.”

Regina turned to face Emma and offered a soft smile. Emma was grinning at her like a Cheshire cat.

“What?” she asked, mildly confused.

“God, you’re just so beautiful, you know that?”

Now it was Regina who blushed. “You’re just saying that.”

“No, no, I mean it. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Emma placed her hands on Regina’s shoulders. “And if it’s alright with you, I’d really like to kiss you.”

Regina was stunned, but immensely flattered. “Of course it’s alright,” she rasped, “Hell, it’s more than just ‘alright.’”

Their lips met in a sweet kiss, and then the sparks flew.


	6. Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More angst

A month had gone by since Regina started dating Emma, and she was happier than she’d been in years. It was truly remarkable. Currently, she was sitting on the couch, in the midst of kissing Emma. She cupped the blonde’s face and stared deep into those loving, green eyes.

“Emma?” she asked softly.

The blonde smiled. “Hm?”

“I want to have sex, but I— I’m worried you might not like what you see,” Regina confessed, turning away in shame.

“Regina, you don’t have to feel self-conscious around me. I’ve got a lot of things I don’t like about myself, but I know it doesn’t matter because it’s clear to me that you’re someone who doesn’t care about superficial bullshit.” Emma pulled the brunette closer to her. “And I want you to know that we don’t have to rush things. If you’re not sure about having sex, I totally understand.”

“Do _you_ want it, Emma?”

“Only if you do. I’m in no hurry.”

Regina was silent for a moment. “What if I can’t please you?”

Emma brought up a hand to caress her cheek. “I don’t think that would be possible.”

“Can we just take it slow?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

They moved slowly to the bedroom, undressed each other slowly and took in the breathtaking sights of one another’s bodies. Emma was entranced, but it was clear to her that Regina was feeling self-conscious, seeing how the brunette could hardly look at her.

“Regina,” she whispered, “you have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re beautiful.”

Tears slid down Regina’s face. “I want to believe that, Emma, I really do, but it’s difficult when half the world sees me as some kind of circus freak.”

Emma pulled the weeping woman into a warm embrace. “You’re not a freak. Never let those fuckers get you down.”

Regina leaned in and kissed Emma softly. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

They climbed into bed together, continuing to kiss while their hands roamed each other’s bodies. Emma paused when her hand met Regina’s hip, not daring to go any further until she was sure. She looked into the brunette’s eyes in search of permission. Seeing Regina’s slight nod, she tentatively hooked her fingers around the shaft, never once breaking eye contact. She saw Regina’s eyes cloud over with lust, and that— in addition to the feeling of the hard member in her hand— made both of them moan.

“Emma,” Regina breathed, “Please, don’t tease me.”

Emma kissed the brunette once more before shifting down to take the pulsating shaft between her lips. Regina’s hands found her hair, fingers tangling in golden locks, but not forcing her there. Rather, encouraging her.

Regina squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip in an effort to stifle a moan. Her back arched and her toes curled as she felt the head of her cock meet the back of Emma’s throat. It had been so long since she’d had sex, and though it pained her to admit, she had only experienced it once before. She hardly had any idea what she was doing, but God, it felt incredible. She knew she would be getting an operation to remove her penis once she had the money, but she couldn’t deny that right here, in this moment, she didn’t hate it nearly as much. Seeing Emma’s head bob against her lap was just as breathtaking as the feeling of the blonde’s lips around her shaft.

 _“Em-ma,”_ she husked. She could feel herself growing closer to orgasm. “I’m— I’m going to come.”

A deep moan escaped her gasping lips. It was quite jarring, really, finding pleasure in the source of her misery, but if all went well, she would be rid of it soon. With her cock free from Emma’s mouth, any pleasant feelings she had were suddenly rendered obsolete when she actually reached her climax. The pain she felt wasn’t physical. It was so much worse. Both seeing and feeling her essence spill out onto Emma’s hand brought tears to her eyes.

Intuitive as ever, Emma took notice of this right away. “Regina? Are you—”

“I can’t do this,” rasped the brunette, “I’m sorry, I just— I’m not as ready for this as I thought.”

Emma just nodded and climbed off of the bed, walking into the adjacent bathroom to wash her hands and rinse her mouth out in the sink. When she returned to the bed, she found Regina curled up in a fetal position, visibly distressed.

“What’s wrong, Regina?” she asked softly.

“I’m sorry,” Regina whispered, “It’s just that, well, when I came, it felt so _wrong._ It felt like I was someone else— someone I never asked to be— and it was terrifying. I don’t ever want to feel that way again.”

Emma was silent for a moment as she processed this. “I’m the one who should apologize. I should’ve gone about this differently.”

“What more could you have done? It’s not like I have much to work with,” Regina told her, understandably bitter.

Emma bore a look of uncertainty. “Do you want me to go? I totally understand if you want to be alone—”

“No,” Regina said quietly, yet her voice was firm, “Please, stay. Just hold me.”

Emma nodded. “You got it.”

She climbed into the bed and brought an arm around Regina to try and provide some semblance of comfort.

“Thank you, Emma.”

“What for? I feel like I’m the reason you’re upset. I really am sorry, Regina.”

“Hush,” said Regina, “I already told you this wasn’t your fault.”

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

Regina sighed, turning her head to regard Emma over her shoulder. “You’re as stubborn as I am, you know that?”

Emma smiled faintly. “Yeah, I’d begun to notice.”

“I’m glad you’re here, Emma. You make me feel complete— well, as complete as I can possibly be, given the circumstances. Does that make sense?”

“Baby, that’s the most sensible thing anyone’s ever told me.”

Regina chuckled. “Alright then.” She gave Emma’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Thank you for putting up with me. I’m still amazed that you haven’t tried to run off and leave me yet.”

“There is no ‘yet,’ Regina,” said Emma, “because that’s never going to happen.”

Regina smiled softly as she closed her eyes, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep in Emma’s arms.


	7. Hope

Regina awoke to find it pouring down rain. The sound of the droplets hitting the window brought a much-needed sense of peace and serenity— or perhaps that was the result of having Emma’s arms around her in a loving manner. She turned to face the blonde, who began to stir in response to the sudden movement. A soft groan escaped Emma’s lips, and Regina couldn’t resist kissing them.

Emma’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and she smiled as it occurred to her what Regina had done.

“Good morning to you, too,” she murmured, “Did you sleep okay?”

Regina nodded. “I did, actually. I’m certain it’s because I had you here with me.”

Emma kissed her sweetly. “How about I cook you breakfast? I make a mean omelet.”

“I’d like that.”

They pulled on some clothes and made their way into the kitchen. Regina fed Henry while Emma got to work on breakfast.

“It’s raining pretty hard out there,” said Emma, “What are we planning on doing today?”

Regina smiled at that word. _We._ “I’m probably just going to stay inside. Maybe clean the apartment.”

“I’ll help you,” Emma offered.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, but I’d like to. I still feel bad about last night.”

Regina sighed. “Emma, I promise you, you did nothing wrong. I was just— _uncomfortable.”_

“And that’s _exactly_ why I feel like it’s my fault. I never meant to make you feel that way. I want to make this right.”

Regina walked up behind Emma and hooked her arms around the blonde’s midriff. “Emma,” she said softly, “you can’t keep blaming yourself. It’s what’s between my legs that’s the problem. I’ve been saving up my money for an operation, but that’s still a long ways away. Until then, we’re just going to have to make do with it— that is, if you’re willing to be with me for that long.”

Emma turned to face her and pulled her into a warm embrace. “Of course I am. I was just wondering if the feeling was mutual.”

Regina smiled. “Isn’t it obvious? You’re one of the kindest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and now we’re together. This is a blessing. I really like you, Emma. You’re perfect.”

She pressed her lips to Emma’s, pleased when the blonde kissed back.

* * *

Later, as she took her last bite of omelet, Regina sat back contentedly and smiled.

“That was fantastic, Emma. You’re a great cook.”

“Not _that_ great,” said Emma, “I just know how to make good omelets.”

“You certainly do.”

They cleaned the dishes together, despite Emma insisting that Regina didn’t need to, but Regina’s stubbornness prevailed. Afterwards, they found themselves sitting on the couch in silence as they listened to the rain pattering against the windows.

“So,” Emma said at last, “you up for more Mario Kart?”

Regina chuckled. “You’re going to get your butt kicked.”

Emma grinned at her. “We’ll see about that.”

* * *

Regina folded her arms and huffed. “You just got lucky, is all.”

Emma laughed. “Admit it, Regina, I totally kicked _your_ butt.”

“Fine. You got me,” said the brunette, “You win.” She smiled faintly and kissed Emma’s cheek. “Thank you for staying here with me.”

Emma was quick to return the smile. “My pleasure.”

Regina was quiet for a moment. “Speaking of pleasure,” she said, “I think I should return the favor.”

“What?”

“You tried to please me last night. I think it’s only fair that I do the same for you.”

“Regina, no, you don’t have to do that. You didn’t enjoy it. I can’t ask you to—”

“Emma, _please._ Truthfully, I _did_ find pleasure in it— until I came, that is. That was what upset me the most.”

“So you’re saying you can only feel good when you _don’t_ come?”

“Pretty much.”

“Damn. That seems like torture.”

Regina sighed. _“Pretty much.”_

Emma brought an arm around the brunette, holding her close. “Well, I’m sure we can come up with an alternative. There’s gotta be _something,_ right?”

“I can only hope.”

* * *

That evening, as the two were curled up in Regina’s bed, the brunette peered into Emma’s eyes intently.

“I’m really glad I met you, Regina,” Emma whispered, smiling fondly.

Regina was quick to return the smile. “Me too,” she said. She planted a light kiss on Emma’s cheek. “You’re so sweet, always worrying about little old me. I’ve never really had anyone care for me as much as you do.” She laced her fingers with Emma’s and her smile grew a bit wider. “I want to try again,” she confessed.

Emma blinked quickly. “What? You mean—”

Regina just nodded. “Yeah.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to put you in a situation that would make you uncomfortable. I mean, if I’m being honest, I don’t really know what else I could do to please you. You said it felt wrong when you came, so—”

Regina pressed a finger to the blonde’s lips. “Emma,” she said firmly, “hush.” There was a bright gleam in her eyes. “You did the best you could, given my _equipment._ I can’t have you blaming yourself for that forever. This time, I want to please _you.”_

“R-Really?”

Again, Regina nodded. “I guess I should warn you: before last night, I’d only had sex once in my life. I might not be fit to do this.”

Emma just smiled. “Don’t sweat it. I just want to be sure that you really want this, and I want you to know that you’re under no obligation to—”

 _“Emma,”_ Regina said pointedly, “please, just try and relax. You’re making me nervous.”

Emma bit her lip. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

Regina shook her head, chuckling softly, and placed a hand on Emma’s hip. “That’s enough talk,” she said, “I want to hear you moan.”


	8. Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter but definitely an important one!

Stars were bursting within Emma’s eyes. She had never been so wet before. She could feel her arousal pooling beneath her, and it almost felt uncomfortable, but she ignored it, as she could focus on nothing but the incredible feeling of Regina’s warm tongue sliding along her labia. Her fingers were tangled in the brunette’s silky locks. It took everything in her power not to claw at Regina’s scalp. When she happened to lift her head, she and Regina locked eyes, and that nearly drove her over the edge. She bit her lip and moaned, which brought a smile to her girlfriend’s lips before they enveloped her aching clit and sucked.

Hearing Emma suck in a sharp breath made Regina groan with pleasure. She was holding the backs of Emma’s thighs and spread them further apart before sinking her tongue deep into the blonde’s warm pussy. She reveled in Emma’s soft moans. She could feel her cock growing stiff in her shorts, but did her best not to dwell on it too much. She wanted to focus solely on making her girlfriend moan. Her heart swelled when she heard Emma’s quiet groan:

 _“You’re so_ fucking _hot.”_

Regina pushed a finger into that warm velvet in response, curling it deep inside Emma and drawing out a soft whimper.

“Come for me, _Em-ma,”_ she purred. She slipped in a second finger, and it wasn’t much longer before Emma did just that.

Afterwards, as the two of them were lying together contently, Emma offered a loving smile.

“Thank you,” she whispered, “I enjoyed every second of it.”

Regina smiled back at her. “You’re quite welcome, dear. The feeling is mutual.”

“Sorry about your sheets,” Emma said sheepishly.

Regina just chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing the washing machine won’t fix.” An almost-devious grin crept its way onto her face. “Speaking of which, I think that’s the next place I’d like to—”

She was abruptly cut off by the roar of thunder in the distance and pursed her lips.

“Hm. I wasn’t expecting a storm. Why don’t you stay here for the night? I wouldn’t want you catching a cold.”

Emma smiled. “How considerate,” she said, “I’d be honored.”

* * *

For the next six months, life was good. Hell, it was _wonderful._ It couldn’t have been any more perfect for either of them. Regina sold off twenty-six different homes, while Emma finally received her tattooing license and was now August’s business partner rather than his apprentice. One day, when Regina took Emma out for dinner at an upscale restaurant, the brunette asked her something that made her heart skip three beats.

_“Would you like to move in with me, Emma? We’re practically living together already.”_

Emma’s eyes welled with happy tears. “Hell yeah.”

And so that was what she did.

She officially moved in two weeks later after getting all of her things in order and paying off her month’s rent. Once she had her things brought over to Regina’s place, she had some pizzas delivered and they binged _Schitt’s Creek._

“Emma?” Regina asked halfway through their little marathon.

“Yeah?” Emma replied with a mouthful of pizza.

Regina chuckled, but then her expression became serious, and perhaps even a little uneasy. Emma took notice of this right away.

“What is it? What’s the matter?”

Tears welled in Regina’s eyes, but they were happy. She smiled and gave Emma’s hand a light squeeze.

“I finally have enough money to cover my operation,” she said.

Emma’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s great! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I— I was waiting for the right moment.”

Emma kissed the brunette sweetly. “I’m happy for you, Regina. Are you nervous?”

“Honestly? I’m terrified. What if it doesn’t go well? What if it doesn’t turn out the way it should?”

“Regina, you’re undergoing an operation from one of the best surgeons in the country. He’s eccentric, sure, but he knows what he’s doing.”

“How would you know?”

“Well, I’ve done a lot of research lately. I wanted to make sure you chose the right doctor.” Emma’s smile widened. “I think you chose well.”

Regina hugged her tightly. “I love you, Emma.”

Emma’s heart swelled with pride as she returned the embrace. “I love you, too.”


	9. The Operation

Regina’s fears were unfounded. The surgery was ultimately a success. Victor Whale was a very strange man, but Regina would be forever grateful to him for what he had given her— and of course, what he had taken away.

Unfortunately, the aftermath of the operation was a world of pain and three months of recovery. She spent most of those three months on the couch, with Emma taking care of her every need. She felt guilty about having to rely so much on her girlfriend, but Emma insisted that there was no need to feel bad.

Emma genuinely enjoyed caring for Regina. It was more a privilege to her than a burden. She looked after Henry as well, entertaining him with a laser pointer and laughing when he succumbed to the intense effects of catnip.

Over the next three months, Regina made a complete recovery. At long last, she was able to return to the job she loved. Each morning, she fed Henry, had a nice breakfast with Emma, drove to work blasting death metal from her Benz, and she did so with a bright smile. She felt like a new woman. She still couldn’t believe it. It was almost like she was dreaming.

One afternoon on her day off, she just so happened to walk into the tattoo parlor where her girlfriend just so happened to work. They smiled when they saw one another.

“Hey, Regina. Did you finally decide you wanted a new tattoo?”

“I certainly did. I was hoping you’d be able to help me, being such a wonderful artist and all.”

Emma’s smile widened. “Absolutely. What were you thinking of?”

“A blue phoenix,” said Regina.

Emma regarded her with loving eyes. “Oh yeah? Is there a story behind that?”

“Why yes,” said Regina, “You might know it.”

They sat down together and Emma drew up several designs for her beautiful new client.

“The phoenix, to represent my rebirth as someone entirely new,” Regina said softly.

“And why blue?”

Regina kissed Emma sweetly on the cheek. “Because, dear,” she murmured, “blue fire burns the hottest— _just like my love for you.”_

And so, Regina sat back for the next seven hours in visible discomfort while Emma brought the blue phoenix on her shoulder to life. Emma’s presence and soft voice made it bearable. One wing reached down onto her back, and the other over her heart. It was truly a beautiful thing. Almost ritualistic in its complexity and grace— a vibrant reflection of the love they shared.

Just when Regina realized how much she enjoyed the feeling, it was finished. She regarded it in the mirror with a look of pure wonder and amazement. It brought joyful tears to her eyes.

“Emma,” she breathed, “it’s _incredible.”_ She embraced her girlfriend lovingly. “Thank you.” She kissed Emma once more. _“Thank you.”_

* * *

The following evening, Emma came home to find an assortment of Chinese food laid out on the table along with electric candles (no doubt to prevent Henry from being around real fire). Her mouth watered and her stomach roared at the sight alone. The aroma was intoxicating. She looked around for Regina, but her girlfriend was nowhere to be seen.

“Regina?” she called.

 _“Yes?”_ came a sultry voice.

Suddenly, Regina appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, donning a simple yet elegant red dress that hugged her body in all the right places. She looked radiant, even in the dim light of the apartment.

“I wanted to do something nice for you, in return for taking care of me, and for giving me this _wonderful_ new tattoo.”

Emma blinked dumbly. “But you already paid—”

“In money, yes,” said Regina, “but what I have planned is _far_ more precious.”

Emma swallowed. “O-Oh?”

Regina sauntered towards her and pulled her into a searing kiss, which caused her to moan softly. Regina offered a loving smile in response.

“Why don’t we have dinner?” the brunette purred.

“Yeah,” whispered Emma, “That sounds great.”

Regina hooked her arms around Emma’s neck, kissing the blonde once more. “And afterwards, I was thinking you might like to have dessert.”

“Y-Yeah? Like apple pie, or—”

Regina chuckled softly as she brought her lips to Emma’s ear. _“Me.”_

They ate their dinner together, laughing and joking all the while, before packing it away in the fridge and making their way into the bedroom. Up until this point, Regina hadn’t allowed Emma to see what she had to offer, but now that she was fully-healed, she felt comfortable enough to put herself on display for her girlfriend.

Emma was amazed. _“Wow,”_ she whispered, “Regina, that’s incredible! I— I can’t believe it!”

Regina laughed softly and ran her fingers through Emma’s hair, moaning as the blonde’s tongue met the space where she needed it most.

“Emma,” she husked, “please be gentle.”

Emma nodded. “Of course.”

And she was. She made Regina feel like a Goddess, all while gentle as can be. Her movements were slow, not enough to leave her girlfriend irritable, but enough to ensure she caused no pain. She had never loved anyone more than this beautiful woman who lied moaning before her, and she knew that no matter what happened, she never would. She was certain the feeling was mutual.

At the end of that blissful night, both women were satisfied and they fell asleep in each other’s arms. Just as they began to drift, they looked deep into one another’s eyes with loving smiles.

 _“I love you,”_ they said in unison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought this would be a nice way to wrap up the story :) hope you all liked it


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